Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
User Reviews
4.9
104 reviews
Excellent
Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
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This Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese uses roasted sugar pumpkin or butternut squash combined with soaked cashews and nutritional yeast to create a dairy-free sauce. The sauce is seasoned with mustard powder, garlic, onion, smoked paprika, nutmeg, miso paste, lemon juice, and coconut milk for depth and creaminess. The sauce coats rigatoni pasta, offering a rich, velvety texture and comforting flavor.
Description
The recipe begins by roasting pumpkin or butternut squash until tender, then scooping out the flesh. This is blended with soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, and a mix of spices including dry mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, nutmeg, and salt for a robust, creamy sauce base. Miso paste adds umami, while lemon juice and coconut milk balance and thin the sauce to a smooth consistency.
The cooked rigatoni pasta is then combined with this pumpkin-based sauce, resulting in a creamy mac and cheese alternative that is free of dairy and animal products. The sauce’s spices and fresh nutmeg contribute warmth and complexity, while the cashews provide a rich mouthfeel similar to cheese.
This dish suits those seeking a plant-based, seasonal comfort food that incorporates pumpkin’s natural sweetness and depth. It makes a cozy main course or side.
Substitutions like using canned pumpkin require adjusting quantities, and soaking cashews ensures smooth blending if a high-powered blender is not available.
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Ingredients
- 1 sugar pumpkin aka “pie pumpkin”), or 1 small butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds or 1 kg, small
- olive oil for roasting, or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup cashews raw, soaked in cool water overnight or 1 hour in boiling water
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder (optional but adds a nice sharp tangy flavor)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg can substitute ground, but the flavor is much better with fresh, freshly grated
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
- black pepper freshly cracked, to taste
- 1 tablespoon mellow white or yellow miso paste
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour or cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 1 cup coconut milk canned, lite
- 10 ounces rigatoni pasta or medium-sized macaroni shells or pasta of your choice
Instructions
- To cook the pumpkin or butternut squash in the oven, use a very sharp knife to slice the pumpkin or butternut squash in half, then scoop out the seeds and stringy bits using a spoon. If the vegetable is too thick or hard to cut, pop it in the microwave for 60-90 seconds to soften. For roasting, follow step 2; for steaming, follow step 3.
- To roast the pumpkin or butternut squash in the oven, preheat the oven to 425°F (or 218°C). Drizzle the pumpkin or squash halves with a bit of olive oil or avocado and season with salt and pepper. Place the halves, flesh side down, on a parchment paper-lined or aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until completely tender and lightly browned (pumpkin should take about 30 minutes; butternut squash closer to 40 minutes). Once the pumpkin or squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and discard the skin.
- To steam the pumpkin or butternut squash in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, pour 1 cup of water into the inner cooking pot and lower a compatible steamer rack or the trivet that comes with the Instant Pot into the inner pot. Place the pumpkin or squash halves in the basket or on top of the trivet, close the lid, and pressure cook at high pressure for 12-14 minutes. Once the timer is up, perform a quick pressure release by manually releasing the steam valve. Once the pumpkin or squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and discard the skin.
- While the squash is cooking, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta according to the box directions until al dente and drain in a colander.
- Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the roasted or steamed pumpkin or butternut squash flesh. Reserve the rest for another use, such as a curry, soup, or side dish.
- In a high-powered blender, add the 1 1/2 cups of the pumpkin or squash flesh. Add in the soaked and drained cashews, nutritional yeast, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, black pepper to taste, miso paste, tapioca flour or cornstarch, lemon juice, and lite coconut milk. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly, adding more salt as needed, more miso paste for more umami, or more lemon juice for more acidity.
- Return the cooked and drained pasta back to the saucepan and add the cheese sauce. Heat over medium heat until the sauce is well combined with the pasta and warmed through. Season the mac and cheese to taste.
Notes
- Roasting fresh pumpkin is recommended for best flavor; use 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree if needed.
- If using a lower-powered blender, soak cashews overnight for a creamier sauce.
- To make "lite" coconut milk, dilute canned full-fat coconut milk with water before measuring 1 cup.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
521kcal
(26%)
Carbohydrates
85g
(28%)
Protein
19g
(38%)
Fat
14g
(22%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
(12%)
Monounsaturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Sodium
610mg
(25%)
Potassium
1374mg
(29%)
Fiber
6g
(24%)
Sugar
11g
(22%)
Vitamin A
24200IU
(484%)
Vitamin C
29mg
(32%)
Calcium
87mg
(9%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4to 6 people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 521 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 521kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 85g | 28% |
| Protein | 19g | 38% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Sodium | 610mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 1374mg | 29% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 24200IU | 484% |
| Vitamin C | 29mg | 32% |
| Calcium | 87mg | 9% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
104 reviews
Excellent
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